New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

"All colleagues at Youzhou Glass Workshop respectfully see off our bosses back to their village."

In the square in front of the glass workshop, the twelve tribal leaders watched as the grain carts were all loaded with ore, and listened to the shouts of the people along the street. Although they were returning with a full load, they felt an indescribable sense of frustration.

She always felt like she was being treated like a fat sheep and was being ruthlessly slaughtered by Wanyan Xi.

However, it was too late now. The grain had already been delivered to the granaries in Youzhou City, and even if they wanted to regret it, they had no reason to ask for it back.

The glassmaking process has been taught, and the raw materials have been loaded onto the carriage. Wanyan Xi has kept her word, and her group has no reason to cause trouble.

Watching the last horse-drawn cart carrying ore leave through the north gate, Wanyan Xi and Tang Qian walked side by side. Looking at the passersby who bowed to her from time to time along the street, Wanyan Xi's pretty face was full of pride.

"With the food problem of the entire city solved, I, the lord of Youzhou, can finally feel much more at ease. Thank you for your righteous help, young master."

Since Youzhou was her fiefdom, Wanyan Xi naturally did not want to see people starving to death in the city. Tang Qian was able to procure so much food in such a short time, so the Seventh Princess was naturally even more grateful to him.

"Does Your Highness still intend to open the granaries and distribute grain every now and then, as before?"

Tang Qian's question made Wanyan Xi frown slightly. She knew, of course, that doing so would only make the people take the princess's feeding for granted, but she didn't know how to make the more than 80,000 people in the city receive their rations legitimately.

“Besides mining and land reclamation, I really don’t have any other way to use manpower. However, these two jobs don’t require many able-bodied men. So, if I calculate it this way, there are at least 60,000 idle people in the city.”

"Since we are eating the food provided by the Princess's Mansion, we must make corresponding contributions. We must let everyone know that there is no reward without effort, and no one can get something for nothing. The able-bodied can reclaim wasteland and mine, the women can raise silkworms and spin yarn, and the elderly can sweep the streets. If I were to plan this, I can guarantee that all the idle labor force in the city would be mobilized."

Wanyan Xi smiled sweetly at Tang Qian, her eyes like two crescent moons: "Then I will rely entirely on you, young master."

The two walking ahead exchanged glances, while Xiao Li, following closely behind, gave Tang Qian a big eye roll. A month had passed since Tang Qian married the Song Dynasty princess, and she still wasn't willing to give him a kind look.

Knowing full well that he and the Seventh Princess could not end up together, why did he go to such lengths to please her in the first place? Xiao Li thinks that the Seventh Princess is now blinded by her own feelings, and that Tang Qian is just a lecherous man who falls for every woman he meets.

Completely oblivious to the murderous glares shooting from behind, Tang Qian and Wanyan Xi arrived at the gate of their own residence. Xiao Li stepped forward and pushed open the door, and sure enough, she smelled a wonderful aroma wafting from inside. However, she couldn't be impolite in front of her master, so she had to suppress her urge to eat and followed Wanyan Xi into the hall. After helping Wanyan Xi sit down, she jogged into the kitchen, leaned against Rong'er, and peeked out, asking, "What delicious things are you making? I was already drooling when I came in."

Startled by Xiao Li's sudden appearance, Rong'er almost dropped her chopsticks. She turned around and patted her chest, which was still pounding, complaining, "You can scare someone to death."

Rong'er's complaints didn't distract Xiao Li; she kept staring at the round cakes on the plate, drooling. Tang Xiaoqi, who was helping to start the fire, grinned mischievously: "When did you two become so close? I still remember when the young mistress first arrived in Youzhou, Miss Xiao Li, you..."

"If you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth." Before Tang Xiaoqi could finish speaking, Xiaoli reached out and took Rong'er's arm. "Since Your Highnesses can become sworn brothers, why can't we two servants put aside our past grievances?"

“That’s right, what does our daughter’s business have to do with you?” Rong’er put a freshly made rice cake into Xiao Li’s mouth. “The servants in the manor just brought back a lot of grain. Miss asked me to make some snacks from Tokyo for Your Highness and you to try. You can take these over first. The rice cakes will be ready in a little while.”

Both of them were girls in their teens, so what bad intentions could they possibly have? His Highness had already said that they should get along well with each other, and as maids, they naturally had to do as he said.

Carrying a plate of freshly baked rice cakes out of the kitchen, Xiao Li immediately regained her usual composure. She went to the side hall, placed the plate on the table, and whispered in Wanyan Xi's ear, "This servant has tried it, Your Highness can eat it without worry."

After glancing at the nonchalant Zhao Yingluo, Wanyan Xi picked up a piece of rice cake with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth. A crisp aroma of rice wafted up, just as Zhao Yingluo had said. This food was indeed delicate, fragrant, and delicious, making Wanyan Xi quite fond of it.

When it comes to food, the Song Dynasty was indeed second to none.

Seeing that Yan Xi was enjoying her meal, Tang Qian gave Zhao Yingluo a thumbs-up under the table, then turned to the Seventh Princess and said, "Rice cakes and rice cakes are nothing special. If Your Highness likes these foods, just come to my house and let Rong'er make them."

Wanyan Xi put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and looked up at Tang Qian and Zhao Yingluo: "You two are being so solicitous for no reason. You must have something to say. While I'm in a good mood, hurry up and tell me."

Seeing that the time was ripe, Tang Qian did not hold back: "Since I went on a mission to Youzhou in early winter last year, my parents in Dongjing City have not received a single letter from me. Now that I am married, my poor parents do not even know whether I am alive or dead. Thinking about it carefully, I am really unfilial."

Wanyan Xi sighed softly: "Filial piety is the most important virtue. The previous lack of communication was due to the war, but now that the two countries have restored diplomatic relations, it shouldn't be difficult to send a letter home. As for Wanyan Xun, as long as you don't leave Youzhou, he won't make things too difficult for you."

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness. I intend to send Xiao Qi back so that her family can be completely at ease."

Youzhou City is now completely controlled by Wanyan Xun and Wanyan Xi. As long as Tang Qian doesn't think about escaping, it doesn't matter if he has no one to follow him. One or two of Zhao Yingluo's guards can be borrowed. Tang Xiaoqi's departure will not have any impact on Youzhou.

After a brief moment of thought, Wanyan Xi agreed to Tang Qian's request: "Let him go and come back as soon as possible, and it would be best if he could bring back some novelties from Tokyo."